Review of Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1980

The year is now 1980. After several years of silence,there is a reprisal of killings from the West Yorkshire Ripper. The case is now re opened by Lt.Peter Hunter,a transfer from another police force,presumably from the south of England. Despite the fact that the officers are to report to Lt.Hunter,they make him feel like a total outsider ("We'll get Our Yorkshire ripper,not yours",pipes one co worker,with no shortage of snideness in his voice). In the wake of all of this,allegations of Lt.Hunter having an affair with a fellow officer on the force (Helen Mitchell),is brought up,attempting to monkey wrench Lt.Hunter's chances of staying on the case. Other elements figure into this story of trying to catch a killer before he (she?)strikes again. James Marsh ('Man On A Wire')directs from a screenplay,once again written by Tony Grisoni,adapted from the novel by David Peace. The wide screen cinematography is by Igor Martinovic. Paddy Considine takes on the role of Lt.Peter Hunter,a cop who is trying to keep his head above water & do the best job he can do,despite the fact that he is about as unwelcome an element as one can be. Maxine Peake is Helen Marshall,who in addition to being assigned to the case,was Peter's ex lover. British screen veteran,James Fox ('Performance')is John Marsden,and Warren Clarke,David Morrissey are back from episode one in their respective roles as Bill Molloy & Maurice Jobson,and even Andrew Garfield,in flash back form,as journalist Eddie Dunford. The pacing in this one is a bit slower,but doesn't hamper interest one bit. If you enjoyed 'Red Riding:In the Year Of Our Lord 1974',as much as I did,you'll want to seek this one out,as well (the three films are packaged together,but are currently being screened with separate admissions). Not rated by the MPAA,this film has occasional outbursts of strong language,adult situations,gruesome images of the aftermath of a murder (including the soundtrack of the murder itself,recorded on a cassette),some brief,but bloody violence.